Forever Night
by RebelLulu
Summary: Foxx is one of the usual avianhuman experiments. . .but, instead of escaping from the School or the Institute, she's escaped from the University. Erasers are after her. Their task: to kill her. She was made before Maximum Ride, so, she is no longer needed
1. The Eyes in the Shadows

Disclaimer: Okay, most of the characters in this story I own. But, if I happen to stick a few members of the flock in here or something. . .or if I talk about the School or the Institute. . .they are not my ideas, they are James Patterson's. Okay, enjoy!

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**Chapter 1: The Eyes in the Shadows**

Foxx was flying at least a good few thousand feet above the heart of New York City. There was no need to fly any higher, since it was about a quarter after midnight and mostly everyone was in their homes or apartments sleeping. Except for the few people who wandered the entertwining streets in their cars or scuffled along the sidewalks.

Foxx was thinking about joining the sleeping half of the city, but as of that moment, she was part of the populations overtaken by insomnia. She had to find a place to sleep. But where in a big city could an escaped human-avian hybrid sleep for the night, without causing trouble or glancing at the face of danger for about the two millionth, seven hundred forty-seventh time in her fifteen year old life? _Hmm. . ._ Foxx thought. _How about an old abandoned building. . .with its window sealed up._

Down below, Foxx had spotted a seemingly empty building with her raptor-like vision. She had agreed to herself that this place wouldn't be able to house one single living thing, except, perhaps, herself and a few rats and cockroaches. But she could deal with a few rats and roaches. It was just the look of the building and the locations she probably wouldn't be able to handle very long.

"It'll have to do," Foxx whispered to herself, circling the ramshackle building. Then, she quietly made her descent.

Foxx landed delicately upon the flat roof of the building and glanced around before finally folding her tawny wings against her back. She had not been followed by anyone, so far, which seemed a bit suspicious. Foxx would've thought Erasers had been chasing her by now since she had already traveled quite a ways from the University in Pennsylvania.

Foxx shrugged and headed towards the covered door which she believed lead to a decending staircase. Once she had reached the bottom of the stairs, she approached a steel door. Foxx roughly yanked it open and walked out into an open, dusty room.

"Well, it beats paying for a hotel room," Foxx whispered as she set down her small green backpack. Then she yawned and curled up on the filthy wooden floor, using her bag as a pillow. She was out within seconds after her eyes had finally fluttered closed.

As Foxx slept, a pair of scarlet glowing eyes watched her from a dark corner of the room. When she first entered the room, these gleaming eyes were not there. They had appeared right when Foxx fell asleep, and with them a pearly grin was revealed, with pointed fangs that glinted in the moonlight.

"I've got you just where I want you," Night softly growled from his corner. "Sweet dreams, my little avian friend. Too bad I have to drown them out with nightmares." Night smiled as he silently strode over to the sleeping Foxx. He then crouched down beside her and kissed her temple, watching her wince as he did so. Then Night leaned back and stroked Foxx's light auburn hair. "I'm sorry I have to do this, my little Foxx, but it's my job. And I must obey my orders." He smiled down at Foxx and stood up, his tall, lean form casting a shadow over her and across the dull floorboards.

Night walked over to the nearest open window, crouched on its sill, and dove off, unfurling his black eighteen foot bat wings at the last minute. he veered left and headed down the alley, moonlight chasing across his bach as he honed (word? sp?) closer to his destination: The Institute.


	2. The Nightmare

**Chapter 2: The Nightmare**

In her dream, Foxx was walking down a white-tiled hallway. At first she didn't recognize it, but within a few seconds after taking in the strong smell of disinfectant, she knew where she was. Her bright green eyes went wide as she walked down hall after hall of the University's basement. Foxx only stopped once in those foul-smelling halls, and that was right outside the room she was once caged in.

She slowly opened the door and walked into the cage-filled room. Every single cage was empty. . .except for one. Foxx hesitantly stepped over to the cage and noticed that its occupant was a small girl about the age of seven. She was shivering in the farthest corner, clutching her knees to her chest. Her matted auburn hair draped around her small shoulders and covered most of her face. Her forest green eyes were staring out at Foxx from behind a curtain of long hair.

"Foxx, help me. . . ." The girl said, quietly, crawling over to the door of the cage.

Foxx was wide-eyed and afraid. She knew this girl. She had realized why she seemed so familiar. That small girl was. . .herself.

"Please, Foxx. Help me. Help me escape before it comes back." The younger Foxx reached through the bars of her cage and grasped onto Foxx's shirt. "Please, Foxx. . . ."

Foxx nodded dumbly and unlocked the cage. The younger Foxx smiled, tears in her eyes. But then, those tear-filled eyes had a sudden change. Thier warm, comforting green rapidly shifted into a devilish red.

"I'm sorry, Foxx. But you are too late," The other Foxx growled, climbing out of the shadows of the cage.

Foxx gasped and backed up against the wall, the other Foxx steadily proceeding towards her. She watched in horror as the younger version of herself began to grow taller. her delicate copper wings lost its feathers and transformed, instead, into a pair of leathery bat wings. This transformation of the younger Foxx ended once the new creature was only a mere inch away from Foxx's face.

"Hello, Foxx," The creature growled in a semi-deep voice. "I'm so very sorry I had to ruin your little 'reunion' with your younger self, but I'm here for a reason. . .to make your night miserable." At this, he smiled wickedly, revealing his razor-sharp fangs.

"Who - who are you?" Foxx managed to squeak out. She was beginning to shake in fear, like what her previous child-like self had done in her cage.

"Oh yes, how very rude of me to forget a polite introduction," The creature answered, his voice luring Foxx in with its false sweetness. "My name is Night and I am an experiment, just like you. Except, instead of me having avian DNA, I have cheroptera DNA; bat DNA. Vampire. . .bat. . .DNA. . . ." The last sentence, Night's eyes reflected the excitment in his eyes on every word.

Foxx was still shaking in fear when she asked, "Are you from the University? Are you going to kill me?"

Night laughed, its sound ringing through the room. "No, no. I'm not from the University. And. . .'kill you?'" Night laughed again, his alluring voice sounding like wind chimes. "I wouldn't dream of it." Then, as suddenly as his laughter started, it died and was replaced quickly with a frown. "Right now, all you have to be worried about is your approaching nightmare. . . ."

Then, Night's eyes turned fierce and he lunged at Foxx, growling and bearing his fangs. Foxx screamed, pushing him off of her. She ran out the door and down the white-tiled hallway, her heart pounding from fright and shock.

"You cannot escape from me, Foxx!" Night hissed, barreling down the hall after her. "I'm the one who created this nightmare, and I'm the one who shall decide what your fate is while you're still in it!"

Night had caught up to Foxx at that point and, unfortunately for her, there was a dead end. Foxx backpeddled , her forest green converse sneakers slipping on the polished tiles. She turned around to stare into Night's anger-driven crimson eyes.

"There now, see?" he said, grasping both of Foxx's narrow shoulders with pale hands. "No matter where you go, I'll always be able to find you. You are not alone in this world, Foxx. I hope you know that." Then, Night leaned down towards Foxx's neck and pierced her light skin with his fangs. She instantly fell limp into his arms. Night pulled away, smiling, blood dripping from his fangs and onto the clean white floor. "Now I have you. . . ." He whispered quietly into Foxx's ear before finally letting her go to crumple to the floor.


	3. Troublesome Humans

**Chapter 3: Troublesome Humans**

Foxx shot up, gasping. A cold sweat had broken out on the back of her neck, her forehead, and the whole length of her back. She glanced around quickly, trying to remember where she was. She realized she was still in the abandoned building, but everything looded a lot different in daylight. Foxx sighed in relief, got up off the floor and stretched. She went over to one of the uncovered windows and looked down at the street below. It was completely swarming with taxi's, junky cars, and boxy SUV's. And the sidewalk was crowded with hordes of people.

Foxx gulped when she looked down to also see four kids, all boys about her age, striding up to the entrance of Foxx's hideout.

"Uh-oh," she said, slowly backing away from the window. "This must be their hangout or something. Hopefully they don't come all the way to_ this_ floor."

Foxx headed over to her backpack and unzipped it, pulling out a green windbreaker. It was a bit too warm for a windbreaker, but it was the only way she could keep her wings hidden from all of the normal, non-hybrid people. So, she tugged her windbreaker over her head, zipped up her bag, and slung it onto her back. She looked almost as normal as any other fifteen year old kid in a slightly bulky windbreaker.

By the time Foxx had her hand on the doornknob, she heard loud, rambunxious voices coming from the hall outside the door. Foxx squeaked, quickly letting go of the doorknob and backed away from the door as far as she could possibly go.

The door opened and a blond, beach-boy-type kid walked in, laughing at something one of his friends must've said. A fair-skinned red-head and a pair of olive-skinned, black-haired twins walked in after him, laughing also. Once the first boy had stopped laughing, he noticed Foxx standing up against a boarded-up window. He held out his arms to stop his friends from walking any further. The other boys stopped laughing immediately.

"Well, lookie what we've got here, guys," the blond boy mused, shoving his hands into his jeans pockets. "We've got ourselves our first captive." He smiled across the room at Foxx.

Foxx frowned, her fear slowly ebbing away. She didn't like this guy one bit. Even though he was a human and completely harmless, she still didn't trust him. "How am I your 'captive'?" Foxx asked, her voice slightly shaking from both anger and a little fear. "I never agreed to any of this. And I don't even know you!"

The leader of the four smiled and said, "I'm David. The red-head's Kurtis, and the twins are Keith and Miles."

Once of the twins, Miles, grinned and asked, "Now, what is _your_ name?"

_Ugh, how did I get myself into this mess?_ Foxx asked herself. Then she replied harshly, "Why would I tell _you_? I'm leaving, anyway." With that, Foxx strode past them to the door, but not before David grabbed the neck of her windbreaker, keeping her from leaving.

"You're not gonna get away _that_ easily," He snarled, grinning evily.

Foxx turned her head to glare at David, her emerald eyes narrowing to slits. Then, she unhooked David's hand from the neck of her windbreaker and twisted his wrist until she heard a satisfying_ pop_. David shrieked out in pain as Foxx said, "And that's what you get for messing with me! A broken wrist!" Then, she stormed out into the hallway, fuming at the stupidity of those boys.

Once Foxx had reached the building's front yard, she regreted putting on her green windbreaker. she so desperately wanted to leap up into the air, spread her honey-colored wings and fly away from this place, letting her anger tumble to the ground and lay forgotten on the dirt. But she couldn't do that. There were too many people around; too many witnesses. So, in the end, Foxx's decision was to blend in with the river of people who were smoothly flowing past on the sidewalk.


	4. The Message

**Chapter 4: The Message**

Foxxheaded down the sidewalk in the direction the crowd of people were moving in. Being pushed along by all of these people made her feel a bit claustrophobic and uncomfortable, since she wasn't technically used to being this close to people who weren't escaped experiments or who weren't 2 avian. Foxx had to get away from this crowd before she began flipping out.

Once Foxx reached the next street over, she sighed a relief and leaned against a building. She took a deep breath in and smelled something sweet. Irresistibly sweet. Foxx pushed off against the wall of the building and looked up at the sign that hung over the door. It read: Annie's Bakery.

_That's what smells so good_, Foxx thought. _They must be making cookies in that bakery._ Her stomach growled at the smell, which is when she realized she had not eaten since yesterday morning.

"One quick stop at a bakery won't do any harm," Foxx reasured herself as she opened the door and stepped across the threshold.

Foxx walked up to the counter where she saw an enormous amount of cookies, cake, and fudge being displayed behind glass. But she also noticed that no one was at the cash register.

"Hello?" Foxx called shyly, slightly tapping a bell that had been placed on the counter top. "Is. . .anyone here?"

Then she heard the door of the shop open with a small audible squeak. She turned around to see who it was and automatically wish she hadn't.

Even though the man looked human enough, Foxx knew right away that he was an Eraser. His features were those seen in male model photographs and they made any female weak at the knees. Of course, it didn't work for Foxx because she knew better.

"I'm here," the Eraser cooed, striding up to where Foxx was standing, frozen.

"It's about time," Foxx replied, thawing out a bit. Her bright green eyes narrowed and her fists cleched tightly at her sides. "I was beginning to get suspicious."

"I do hope you didn't believe that you would actually escape from the University's clutches." The Eraser smiled to reveal a perfectly normal and spotless set of teeth.

While Foxx and the Eraser had been busy with their conversation, a dark-haired woman had stepped out from the back room to stand behind the cash register.

"Can I help you?" she asked, slightly confused about the situation.

The Eraser smiled at the woman and replied in a sickly sweet voice, "No. I just came to take my sister back home." The Eraser put one arm around Foxx's shoulders and lead her out of the bakery, leaving the cashier in a wake of confusion.

The Eraser pulled Foxx away from the crowd of people who were walking up and down the sidewalk. Foxx crossed her arms over her chest, clover green eyes still narrowed. "What do you want?" she asked, menacingly.

The Eraser growled at the back of his throat and said, "Don't give me that look. I'm not even going to take you back to the University where you escaped from." He sighed, exasperated, and rubbed his temples. "I just came to give you a message." The Eraser then reached into his jeans pocket and took out a folded blue piece of paper. He handed it over to Foxx and she took it hesitantly. "Just. . .don't kill the messanger, okay? There's no need for it," the Eraser continued. "But don't throw that message out, for the one who sent it will find you. . ._easily_." His eyes narrowed and then he turned and stalked off, joining the river of people flooding the sidewalk.

Foxx looked down at her right hand which clutched the sky blue piece of paper. She looked back up at the spot where the Eraser had merged into the flow of city folk. He was long gone now, so Foxx couldn't return the note. She was curious about it, though. So she carefully opened the thin blue piece of paper until she saw blood red scrip which contrasted greatly against the blue of the paper.

_**Foxx,**_ it read. Her eyes widened, wondering how this person knew her name. But, then again, many people having anything to do with the whitecoats or avian-human experiments knew her name. Then, she gulped and continued to read the mysterious message: _**I know where you are. Even at this very moment I can point you out on a map. But enough about that. The reason I sent you this message is to tell you to meet me at the entrance to the Central Park Zoo, mid-night tomorrow. And no, I'm not asking you to. I'm forcing you to. For if you ignore this message, I will personally bring you back to the University which you escaped. Trust me, that is not what I really intend to do, but I will if I must. I don't want to hurt you or bring you back to that place of misery, but if you don't listen to me, I will have to end up resorting to that plan. Please do not tell anyone of this message. Though, I doubt you will and I doubt you have anyone to explain this to. Also, you might want to keep that nightmare of yours in mind, for if you disobey me, I will give you one far worse.**_ There was no signature, or even a name of the person who sent it. She flipped the paper over, wondering if there was a signature on the other side of the paper, but there wasn't. Then, she reread the part about her nightmare. '_**. . .you might want to keep that nightmare of yours in mind, for if you disobey me, I will give you one far worse**_'. Foxx's eyes widened in recognition. Who ever sent her the message was probably somehow connected to the monster within her dream. Her heart sped up to 120 beats per minute, thinking back to that horrifying monster.

Foxx shook her head, pasting a determined expression upon her face as she folded the message and shoved it into her jeans pocket. She knew that she did not have a choice, but to either meet her fearsome monster or suffer the consiquences.

_Let's meet this monster_, Foxx silently agreed. _How scary can he possibly be? I have a little more than 24 hours to decide, anyway._ She gulped and quicklymade her way back into the swiftly moving hoard of people, not sure if her decision was the smartest one.


	5. Kristie

Sorry this chapter took so long, guys. I thought I put it up. " Anyway, I hope you enjoy it! I'll try to see if I can work on the sixth chapter, but, I have to tell you: I don't update that quickly.

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**Chapter 5: Kristie**

After about ten minutes of being pushed and shoved by the crowd of people, Foxx forced her way out and into an empty alley. Her chest was heaving from fright and her head spun. _Okay, note to self: never go into another crowd. . ._ever _again._ She shook her head and walked down the alley, jumping at the slightest noises. A scruffy tabby cat mewed at her as she passed by it. When she glanced back, it was following her. "Get away from me, cat," Foxx said, quickening her pace. The next time she looked back, it was gone. She let out a breath and slowed her pace.

_I wonder who he is. . ._Foxx thought, thinking about the message that was now folded neatly inside her pocket. _How does he know me?_ Foxx shook her head and turned right where another alley intersected the one she was in. She kept her head down and stared at her feet, but stopped walking when she heard something. Her head shot up as she saw shadows sprawl across the wall of a building and heard voices that accompanied them. Foxx silently ducked behind a dumpster, peering out from the shadows at the group of teenagers coming down the alley.

"So, Kristie. . .have anything planned for tonight?" One of the boys asked the only girl, who seemed frightened and not sure if she should be there.

"I. . .dunno. . ." Kristie replied, shakily. She kept her arms crossed over her chest and her head down. Foxx narrowed her eyes at the girl in confusion. _Why is she with these guys?_ She thought, sticking her head out a little further so she could see Kristie clearly.

"Well, it's automatically canceled," he said and smirked as the other boys laughed.

_Jeez, what is with people picking on others who are far more smaller than they are?_ Foxx thought as she continued to watch the boys pick on Kristie. Her eyes widened suddenly as the leader of the group, the one who had been talking to Kristie, pressed the girl up against a wall and started making out with her. The other boys in the group started laughing hysterically, but Foxx could tell that Kristie didn't think it was funny at all. She watched as the girl struggled to push the guy away from her, but he forced her close to him.

_Okay, this is really getting out of hand_, Foxx thought, gritting her teeth slightly at the scene. _These guys just need to grow up!_ Without thinking, Foxx leaped out of the shadows and called out, "Hey! Why can't you just leave that her alone?!"

Everyone turned to look at her suddenly, every single one of them a little surprised. Within that moment, Kristie had managed to recover and ducked under her harasser's arm and backed away from him. He didn't notice she'd done that, but kept his eyes on Foxx.

"Well, she didn't want to be left alone," the guy said, smartly. He smirked slightly and straightened up, moving slowly towards Foxx.

_Oh great, he's probably after me now_, she thought, turning her hands into fists at her sides. She glanced over at Kristie, who was a few feet away. She was shaking a bit, fear showing within her wide, hazel eyes. Then, Foxx shook her head and turned her attention back on the leader of the group, her heart speeding up slightly when she realized he was only five feet away.

"Stay away from me!" Foxx exclaimed, getting into a battle-ready stance. "You seriously don't know who you're dealing with." Her emerald green eyes narrowed and she growled softly.

The boy chuckled and smiled evilly at her. "You don't look strong enough to overcome me," he said, stopping only three feet in front of her. "I'll be amazed if you even give me a bruise."

"Or a broken nose," Foxx snarled and lunged forward, swinging a punch at his face. _Bull's-eye!_ She thought with a smirk as she heard a satisfying crack.

The guy staggered back, cupping his hands over his nose. "What the hell?" He managed to breath out. He signaled to his 'friends' and Foxx stood ready as all six of them ran toward her.

"Sorry guys, I'm not technically in the mood for fighting," Foxx announced, backing up slightly as they came closer. "But I'll fight if I have to." With that, she leaped into the air, soaring a grand total of four feet above their heads. When she glanced down, she couldn't help but smile as they all stared up at her.

When she came back down, she landed on one of the guy's heads, knocking him to the ground. Before she went down with him, she leaped back up and aimed a round-house kick at the guy next to him.

She punched and kicked her way through all of them until there was no one left standing. Except her first victim, of course.

Foxx began making her way towards him, just to scare him. It worked. He backed away quickly, turned, and took off running, his nose dripping blood the whole way. She smiled at her accomplishment and then looked back over at Kristie, who was still standing in the same spot, now pale and frightened even more.

Foxx sighed and she walked over to her. "Are you okay?" She asked, smiling sweetly at Kristie.

Kristie nodded and then blinked a few times. "Yeah. . ." she whispered, then smiled back at Foxx. "Thank you. I didn't know you could actually do something like that." She was talking about how Foxx had managed to completely knock out six guys and give one a broken nose.

Foxx laughed nervously and said, "Yeah, well, I can." Then her slight smile faded. "If. . .if you need any help with anything. . .like, if something like that happens again, call for me, okay?" She didn't know why she said that. At the moment, she felt like some kind of superhero. _Yeah. A_ homeless _superhero on the run from evil Erasers._

Kristie smiled and nodded, the color slowly coming back to her cheeks. "But I wish I could give you something. Like, for kinda saving me an' all."

_A home would be nice_, Foxx thought, hopefully. "Nah, you don't have to give me anything."

"But I should," Kristie protested. Then she thought of something. "Would you like some hot chocolate?"

"Hot chocolate?" Foxx repeated. Just then, her stomach growled loudly and she clutched it, trying to make it shut up. She grinned nervously at Kristie. "If I could have some food I'll be just fine."

Kristie smiled happily and said, "Okay. C'mon, let's go to my house. My mom's making lunch right about now. . . ." She started walking back down the alleyway and then glanced back at Foxx to see that she hadn't moved to follow.

_Should I go with her?_ Foxx asked, biting her lip. _Or, should I just run off? Make up your mind! Food? Or no food? Food?_ She looked up and saw Kristie looking at her curiously.

"Aren't you coming?" Kristie asked, cocking her head slightly at Foxx.

"Yeah. . ." Foxx said, hesitantly. "I am. . ." With difficulty, she stepped forward and met up with Kristie, who was only a few feet down the alley.

Kristie smiled and started walking again once Foxx was next to her. "So. . .what's your name, anyway?" she asked.

"Uh. . ." Foxx replied, wondering if she should actually give Kristie her real name or not. "It's Foxx." _Damn, why'd I say that? Why am I being so stupid lately?_

"Kristie," Kristie said, smiling.

"I know," Foxx said, staring straight ahead as they left the alley. "I was in the alley the whole time. . . ."

"You were?" Kristie bit her lip for a second, then she went on. "Don't tell my mom or anyone else about that, okay?" Her hazel eyes showed a hint of worry, but Foxx wasn't going to tell anyone. She had no one to tell it to.

"I won't," Foxx promised. She followed Kristie down the sidewalk until they both came to a stop in front of somewhat fancy condo sqwashed between two brick apartment buildings.

"Here we are," Kristie announced, smiling at Foxx.

_Man, I should've turned and ran when I had the chance_, Foxx thought, unsure of her very 'wise' decisions lately. I_ guess I'll just have to go with it, then._ She nodded at Kristie and smiled, watching as she unlocked and opened the front door.


End file.
